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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23895367">shattering the illusion</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/karasunova/pseuds/karasunova'>karasunova</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>we woke up like this [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Accidental Marriage, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Denial of Feelings, F/M, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Light Angst, Not Canon Compliant, Not Epilogue Compliant</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 16:40:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,496</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23895367</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/karasunova/pseuds/karasunova</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione and Kingsley take a well-deserved holiday to Tahiti. Their trip not only relaxes their minds and bodies but gives them both the opportunity to be honest with themselves and each other.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Kingsley Shacklebolt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>we woke up like this [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1722301</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Hermione's Haven Bingo 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>shattering the illusion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for Hermione's Haven Bingo 2020<br/>Square: O4 - Tahiti</p><p>Can be read alone, but follows the events from the oneshots, 'we woke up like this' and 'anyone in the world'.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Please, Hermione, for me?” Ginny pouted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know. Can’t you just postpone the trip?” Hermione’s eyes shifted from Ginny’s baby bump to her gleaming brown eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope,” Ginny popped. “Just consider it a gift. I don’t want to waste my money and cancel. This way at least someone can enjoy it.” She pushed the envelope with all the travel information into Hermione’s hand. “Besides, you and Kingsley deserve a holiday. I don’t think either of you has taken time for yourselves since Harry and I got married.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione gazed at the envelope. Well, she wouldn’t mind going on holiday. But would her Minister for Magic husband be able to go? Did she even want him too?</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Hermione sipped on her tea and looked over the travel details for this trip to Tahiti. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oceanview hotel room. Catered breakfast. Massages. Snorkeling. Hikes. Tours. Art classes. Yoga classes. Anything and everything that could possibly distract someone from their real life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was that really possible?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you looking at?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione jumped, sloshing some tea onto her blouse. “You’re home?” She set her cup aside and tried to dry herself with a dishtowel. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Kinglsey returned her tone of surprise. “It’s five o’clock.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” she braced herself against the counter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked up and settled behind her, resting one hand against the counter, essentially trapping her between him and the marble countertop. His eyes roamed over the travel information and tickets. “You booked us a trip to Tahiti?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione began to gather everything back into its envelope. “No, Ginny gave me tickets. She and Harry were going to but now that she’s pregnant she can’t make such long-distance travel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see. Do you want to go?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugged. She tapped the envelope against the counter and set it aside. “I kind of want to. I think it would be nice to go on holiday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kingsley hummed in agreement. “I agree. I’ll make the necessary arrangements at work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hand skimmed over her waist briefly as he moved away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, we’re going? You’re going?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yes, I am. Not going to pass up a free trip to Tahiti.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Hermione sighed in delight. She lay on her cushioned beach lounge chair and soaked in the Tahitian sun. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had been overwhelmed when they had arrived earlier that morning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Long-distance portkeys were harder to recover from, no matter how often she utilized it. Not only that, but arriving on the island, at the moment of sunrise was so overwhelming she almost cried over the sight. It was so beautiful she was sure she was having some sort of spiritual experience. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luckily, Kingsley was still right of mind and guided her to their hotel room and put her to bed, where she promptly fell asleep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few hours later, she joined him for breakfast at the table that was situated beside their open balcony. The curtains were pushed aside, giving them a wonderful view of the ocean, beach, and the mountains surrounding them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rested a hand against her forehead and then cheek, she didn’t push him away. Satisfied by whatever that movement had answered, he lifted his coffee mug. “Apparently, our room faces the sunset,” he said quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” she breathed out. “That’ll be a sight to behold.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they finished their breakfast, Kingsley finally asked, “what should we do first?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that’s how Hermione found herself sunbathing on a Tahitian beach, attempting to keep her eyes off her husband who was swimming around in the ocean. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She silently thanked her friend for the one-hundredth time for giving them the tickets to even come here. They’d only been here for a few hours and she already felt so relaxed and refreshed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat up slightly, leaning on her arms. Her eyes swept over the beach and spotted Kingsley walking out of the water. She bit her lip. He must know the effect he had - the water droplets falling over his chiseled abs and the way his arms flexed as he stretched them over his head. Why was he even doing that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took a few deep breaths. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked up to the lounge chair beside hers, his eyes roaming over her figure, not even hiding his perusal. “The water feels great.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She set one of her feet over the side of the chair, digging her toes in the warm sand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know,” he continued, his voice low, “we can set up enough privacy charms here that you could sunbathe topless.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sputtered, blushing fiercely. “You’d like that wouldn’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grinned, taking to his feet. He held out his hand. “Yes. Why deny myself the pleasures of life?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She placed her hand in his. Hand in hand, he led them to the water. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She giggled in delight as the warm water hit her feet and once they were almost waist-deep into the water, she let herself fall, submerging herself completely. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>After their mid-morning swim, they ventured into town and walked through the market, picking up familiar and new food alike. Then they walked amongst vendors and the shops along the main thoroughfare, taking in the sights and purchasing local wares. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They returned to their hotel room, dropped off their things, and joined a tour heading for a hike. They trekked through lush rainforests and gazed upon otherworldly waterfalls. They returned to their hotel room just in time to watch the sunset. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking their dinner on the balcony, Hermione gazed upon the sight before her. A wave of purples, blues, and orange stretched across the horizon. The ocean below gave the impression of a never-ending sunset. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel like I’m at the end of the world,” she said, “it’s like an illusion.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kingsley remained quiet. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>During their stay, Hermione and Kingsley went snorkeling, fed stingrays, went on more hikes, and with a spurt of bravery, both went cliff-jumping. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, their fairytale holiday in Tahiti was soon coming to an end and the real-world was encroaching them. They’ll have to return to their real lives and their marriage that was being held at the seams. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On their final night, Hermione ventured to the beach and slowly wadded into the water. She could hear Kingsley wade toward her. He settled behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She trailed her fingers over the water, it’s crystal blue now drenched in a warm pink. She let out a nervous laugh, “I almost feel like I’m standing in the sun. Is that odd?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kingsley wrapped one of his arms around her torso, resting his other hand on her hip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just another illusion this island has made,” she said darkly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled her to his chest. “Not everything here is an illusion,” he muttered. He leaned down and placed a kiss on her shoulder. “We’re not an illusion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kingsley,” she started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ - No.” He turned her, so they stood in the water, face to face. “Hermione, we’re not an illusion. I care about you, immensely. I know you can see that. But, you’re fighting something that doesn’t need to be fought. Damn what everyone else thinks.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cradled her cheek. “You’re beautiful, brilliant, and kind. Determined and so headstrong. Our marriage was an accident and I want to be able to laugh about it one day, but not if you’re dreading every moment you remain married to me. When we return, we can end it, if that’s what you truly wish. Then we’ll end it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His thumb swiped across her bottom lip. “But, I don’t want to. I don’t want to not be married to you. I love you, Hermione. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but only if you want </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blinked rapidly, attempting to hold back her tears, but they fell nonetheless, tracing over his fingers. He wiped them away and left kisses in their trek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you?” He whispered against her cheek. “Is it possible for you to love me too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart ached. She cared about him tremendously. Kingsley was sweet and fierce and compassionate and passionate. It showed in everything he did. She was incredibly lucky to even have him in her life. But she felt so undeserving. How could they - </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you, Hermione,” he repeated, resting his forehead against hers. “You didn’t trap me, I didn’t trap you,” he said, “we can end this if that’s what you truly want to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kissed the tip of her nose. “But don’t think I won’t pursue you when it’s all said and done. I intend to do it the right way and -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grasped the side of his face and guided his mouth to hers, kissing him hard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wrapped his arms around her and deepened their kiss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sun disappeared over the horizon, leaving a satisfied couple in its wake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the stars twinkled around them and they decided to take this to their hotel room, they determined it didn’t matter what the world thought of them. They had each other and that’s all that really mattered in the end. </span>
</p>
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